Russian Roulette
by Person With Many Aliases
Summary: You and I, we’re both sick! The only time we feel alive is when we put our lives on the line...


"Gunslinger Girl" Series property of Aida Yu

Original Characters property of Author "Person With Many Aliases"

Indiscrete References are to their likewise respective properties.

Story dedicated to Sheo Darren: All around hip guy, good-natured, and good writer. It was thanks to his literary skills that he caught my attention, and eventually drew me into the absolutely wonderful idea of creating adorable killing machines, though not only that (but that's a story for another time). It took me a while to realize that Liesel and Meir were other Original Characters, though.

(I'm not a gun-nut, so if I happen to accidentally pick the worst weapon to use… well… bear with it.)

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_She was tired of the beer bottles that smashed onto her head, her father's rude shouts, night and days without food while her supposed guardian slothed about on a couch or disappeared for days on end outside. Tired of blows to her body, palms open or closed. Tired of the butt of her father's beloved gun smashing down on her for the slightest thing, tired of eternal waft of alcohol floating in the air. Dirty mirrors and dirty floors, aged wood and blood stains and puke that never got cleaned up._

_She was so sick of it all. She would do anything to get rid of it all._

_Her father was drunk enough to forget to lock the drawer that held his beloved gun._

_"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!" She screamed as she unloaded onto the sleeping man's head, the kick of the cannon nearly ripping her arms off. She had to re-aim for valuable eternity-seconds, after the gun's aim flew up into the air with every blast._

_Fireworks lit the room; drum rolls announced the death of the king. Ding-dong, the witch is dead, the wicked old witch is dead._

_She threw up onto the ground after she realized what she had done._

_No! No! It was all wrong! This wasn't supposed to happen. Did she hate the wrong thing? She couldn't survive without him!_

_She was just so tired of this sort of living…_

_She mumbled and she shivered, and she sobbed as she felt her mouth wrap around the heated barrel of the gun that she pointed at herself._

_There were no such things as second-chances, but anything was better than this._

_She pulled the trigger-_

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"**You and I, we're both sick! The only time we feel alive is when we put our lives on the line, it's a sad reality, but we people will never be satisfied. We'll always be seeking a higher rush!"**

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**Person With Many Aliases Presents:**

"**Russian Roulette"**

**A Gunslinger Girls Fanfiction**

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She blinked once.

Twice.

She realized she had fallen asleep at the range again. She was even still standing stock-straight, arms ahead of her, pointing her cold gun at the Swiss-cheesed target several meters away. She dropped her stance for a couple of minutes to relax the sore (fake) muscles. Giving a wide-jawed yawn, she rubbed the grit and dirt out of the corners of her green eyes. After running a hand to brush away brown hair that should have been by her shoulders, and not all over her face, she slid another clip into her gun and continued firing at the target.

The smell of smoke in the morning wasn't too bad, really.

Well, Mr. Leon said not to stop firing until he returned.

A man entered the range, armed with a paper bag and his eternally, abominably, inhuman grin that always seemed to take up two thirds of his face. He was built lean, like any martial-artist. He should have been anyways. He was Chinese, right from his eyes down to the long ponytail that fell down from the base of his head. He always dressed dark. Dark cloth jacket, dark jeans, and dark gloves.

"Yo. Back. You can stop now, Matilda."

She lowered her gun and bowed deeply at the man, "Mr. Leon. I've been at this range as long as you instructed me to."

"It's a nice morning, isn't it?" Leon continued to grin, as he looked into the sky though his round glasses.

"It is."

"I got some coffee for you."

Matilda gratefully accepted the paper cup with both hands from Leon's outstretched own, and sipped for a little while. Sooner or later, though, her eyes eventually drew themselves up to the large revolver that rested, holstered in front of Leon's belly.

"You want this, don't you?" Leon always taunted, as he rested a hand on the black handle.

"…It's _Mine_." Matilda growled. That was the only phrase she could ever say with any sense of possessiveness, without fear of reprisal from her Handler. She never remembered exactly when or how she got it but she knew, down to whatever she could call her soul, that the she was the true owner of that weapon.

Leon pulled out the veritable Handcannon, and spun it a few time by its trigger-guard. "You're not ready for it yet. What's the score?"

"…Three hundred."

"And what did we promise?"

"…Five hundred." Matilda conceded to mutter.

"Then you only have two hundred more to go before you can have your dear gun back." Leon grinned.

"Yes, Mr. Leon." Matilda bowed again.

"Good soldier. You make me proud that we're Handsome White Pearl. Come on, girl. Let's go. We've got a job today." Leon already was walking off.

Matilda looked at her own jacket for a few seconds. It was similar to Leon's except hers was too many sizes too many. It reached down to her knees, and she had to roll back the sleeve a bit to keep her hands free. Brushing off some more dust off herself, Matilda followed after her mentor.

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Matilda had just enough time to change, eat, and stock and arm herself before she piled her 9-year-old self into a black van with Leon.

"What are we supposed to do, Mr. Leon?"

"You know Senator Thunderstone? Him. We're going to kill him."

"Um… isn't he part of our government?"

"Well, yeah. But the guys really in charge decided his unfriendly Israeli policies are no good, so we're taking him out."

"Mr. Leon, I heard he has been receiving death threats."

"I sent them."

"…You? Why? Doesn't it compromise our safety?"

Somehow, Leon's grin only got more wide and predatory, "Oh, but think of the fun. Us people, Matilda, we can't have any fun being sneaky. We feel the most alive feeling the heat of lead flying past us, our lives always being gambled with theirs… don't you feel more alive when you play that way, Matilda?"

_-mumbled and she shivered, and she sobbed as she felt her mouth wrap around the heated barrel-_

"I think so, Mr. Leon."

The Chinese man leaned back slightly and pushed his glasses upwards, letting the sunlight bounce of the glass, "Besides, it means more people for you to kill. Then you'd be able to finish your final two hundred faster."

Matilda mentally agreed while she looked out of the tinted windows at the sky. "Mr. Leon?"

"Yeah?"

"Are there other children out there? Other children that are… cyborged and conditioned like me? I know there are my friends in Handsome Red and Handsome Purple…"

"Sure. I know that there's an Israeli group, Childville, which has about two kids. I think that's actually part of the reason why we're killing that senator. Then there's that Italian Social Welfare Agency. Those guy's have the most teams."

"Will I have any more friends soon?" Matilda weakly suggested. Leon pushed up his glasses again.

"It depends on how much the American Government likes up. So far we're trying to get enough funding and a kid to start building a Handsome Blue."

By then, the van slowed by the parking lot of the golf field. "Hey, you two, deploy." The driver commanded.

Handsome White Pearl did as he requested. Time was always of the essence.

But that didn't mean you should spend what you could enjoying yourself.

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Two men in suits, sunglasses, and earpieces were guarding a caddy path that led to hole seven. There, Senator Thunderstone was deeply involved in his weekly golfing practices, and as long as he was there, nobody else was going to be.

One of the men hummed in surprised before calling his companion and jerking his head towards an approaching caddy. Stepping into the dirt road, one of the suits raised their arms, halting the driving occupants.

The driver was a Chinese guy with glasses and a grin like he was thinking something funny to himself. In the seat next to him was a brunette 9-year-old. She was wearing a small blouse, a plaid skirt, and a way too huge jacket for her.

"Sorry. This area is closed off. Turn around and head back."

"Really? Why?" The Chinese guy grinned.

"Because."

"Oh." The Chinese guy turned to the girl who was sitting patiently, "Matilda. Would you please be a dear?"

"Yes, Mr. Leon."

Matilda straightened up and held out her arms towards the two men. The suits gave a look of confusion, before the sounds of springs and sliding metal.

Two SIG P228 slid out of her sleeves and into the girl's hands.

"Holy sh-"

Fireworks lit the sky; drum rolls announced the death of the two valiant soldiers. One bullet smashed through the black lens and exited out the other side of the man's head. The other plunged through the warm neck and severed the spine, red runnels pouring out the man's neck.

"Let's go Matilda."

A wrist motion reset the mechanisms, and the guns were pulled back into the sleeves.

"Yes, Mr. Leon."

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Steve Thunderstone was about to putt the golf ball into the hole in audience of the suits around him when they all heard a loud whine of a small engine and gunfire. As the bodyguard quickly pushed the senator behind them while drawing out their guns they watched in surreal horror as a caddy flew over a low hill. A girl was holding two guns and shooting left and right at the suits that were interspersed along the distance between them and the senator. The man driving was also carrying a gigantic revolver, grinning like a fucking psycho out of hell, and slamming a round here and there like he was in a carnival game.

"Go! Go!" The bodyguards shouted at Thunderstone while they shoved him into one of the nearby caddies of their own. Another one took off with the cart that held the target of assassination, while the remaining men removed their handguns to open up at the approaching pair.

Between Leon and Matilda, they didn't last for much longer than five seconds. As Handsome White Pearl drove past the pile of corpses, Matilda dropped the empty clips from her guns and slammed them into a fresh pair that was tied to her thighs, under her skirt.

The ensuing caddy chase was a rather odd sight, in the perception of Leon, and perhaps Matilda since he trained her. But in the end, they managed to kill the men in the caddy that was protecting the other one holding Thunderstone, leaving it smoking behind them.

As the two golf-carts arrived on the other side of the golf pitch, there laid an auxiliary car park, which specially held the senator's guarded car.

"Oi! Matilda! That car's probably bullet proofed! Get him now!"

"Yes, Mr. Leon-"

She fired several times at the small wheel that supported the Senator's caddy. A bullet smashed through the rubber and metal, and the whole thing was knocked off, snapping the axel. The entire cart fell on its side and slid to a halt in front of the car park.

The a gashed Thunderstone feebly pulled himself up out of the fallen vehicle, but it was still a chicken shoot, as Handsome White Pearl walked over and unloaded several shots into his emerging chest, rocking him back and forth while his face contorted in unbelievable pain, before he fell back into the caddy.

Leon grinned again, before pulling out a cell-phone.

"Yo. This is Handsome White Pearl. He's dead. Yes I'm sure, but we made a bit of a mess again. We'll leave the lie weaving to you. Later."

Leon turned back to his child, "Hey, Matilda. We're gonna wait here until they pick us up."

"Yes, Mr. Leo-" Matilda began before she turned to look past her master in a look of horror.

The driver for the senator's car was unaccounted for. He was now emerging from behind the open trunk of the car with an M4 Carbine, and aiming for Mr. Leon's back.

She had no time to think. She just ran and shoved Mr. Leon out of the way and raised her arms to cover her head and body-

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Leon and some others stood on the other side of the one-sided mirror, watching the operation.

"So you just let her soak up nearly the entire clip of rifle rounds before you just laugh a bit and killed the last man at your leisure? That's totally unacceptable!"

"Why? She's my soldier, and we both know the risks. It's what Handsome White Pearl lives for."

The man arguing with Leon wanted more than ever to smash his face into Leon's stupid grin. "Handsome White Pearl our only attacking team right now, and it's only meant for deep penetration maneuvers! You just can't let her take abuse like that! The reconditioning and repairs take away from her shelf-life!"

"So what? People like us don't care for living forever! We got to live on the edge, and if a few bullets for Matilda and me is gonna be the price, we'll pay it! Live fast, die young! That's how we feel alive…"

"That's how YOU feel alive! The only reason why she's going to end up the same way is because she's imprinting your ideals onto herself!"

"That's a good soldier."

"Why you little-"

Another voice interrupted.

"It is not your place to judge Leon's training method or philosophy. However, it is my place as the head of this group to cast a warning. You are not to use Matilda like some gun-toting shield. You are to keep the Cyborg in Handsome White Pearl at full capacity as long as possible, or the consequences will be high. I do not want to hear an incident like this ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

"I understand completely sir, and will take that as an order."

"Good. Dismissed."

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Matilda blinked the grim out of her eyes as she lay in the medical ward.

"It's a nice morning, isn't it Matilda?"

She turned to see that familiar grin and a cup of coffee.

"Mr. Leon… I'm sorry…"

"Why?"

"I didn't notice the last man fast enough… I should have got there faster. I could have hit the man… but I just got myself hurt and you nearly killed." She was on the brink of tears.

She nearly failed Mr. Leon.

A hand comfortingly patted her head. "Ah, you're still alive. That's the important bit. A bit of training, and you'll probably never make that mistake again."

"You think so…?"

"Eh…" Leon shrugged, "Anyways, I got the score from the news."

"Really?"

"You killed 19 men."

"That's nice."

"That leaves 181 points left to go." Leon said as he stood up. Giving a quick kiss to the forehead, he told her to get some sleep, and that he'd be back tomorrow.

So Matilda dreamt. Dreamt the same dream she always had.

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_Silence. The girl's eyes shot open in shock and she looked at the gun. She pulled the trigger several more times, but a hollow click was the only thing that came out._

_And she shot him so many times…why now…_

_"You know, that gun only holds six bullets." A voice from behind taunted. She turned around to see an open window in the living room. In front of it a shadow and a grin sat on the couch._

_"Who…who are you…"_

_"Who knows…can I see that?" The man held out a hand. She didn't know why, but she easily gave the revolver to him._

_"Nice… a real handcannon…hey girl, you like do die?"_

_"I…I hate it here!"_

_"Then we're similar. Do you want to play a game for similar people like us?"_

_There was a bit of a weak nod._

_"Good girl. Go to where you found this gun. There should be another bullet there. Take only one."_

_She went and returned quickly, holding a copper round that was large in her hand._

_The man took the bullet and put it into one of the holes in the gun, spun it, and snapped the barrel bit into the handcannon._

_"How about it, kid? If you win, you can do whatever you want."_

_"…If I lose?"_

_"If you lose, then I want you to work for me."_

_"…Okay…"_

_"Follow after me."_

_To her somewhat horror, the man pulled the hammer back and pointed the gun to his head. Without even blinking, he pulled the trigger._

_Silence._

_He handed the gun to her._

_"Your turn."_

_He was patient, letting her take as long as she need to gather the courage to pull the trigger to her head. He on the other hand, wasted no time testing his luck._

_Once, twice, thrise, four times, the gun hit empty. It was the man's turn again._

_Silence._

_"I win." The man grinned._

_Shaking hands moved to the gun. "I…I'm scared. I don't like to shot myself in the head."_

_"You can shoot yourself in the stomach then."_

_"But… I'm going to die! How am I going to work for you?"_

_"I'll bring you back to life. I'll take you away to a place where you can be of use."_

_"Promise?"_

_"I promise."_

_She tried to waste not time. But the feeling of the steel through the cloth onto her belly was frightening._

_Fireworks. Drum rolls. She fell to the ground in a pool of fast departing blood. As she drowned and breathed, she turned a blurring eye up to the shadow above her._

_The grin consumed her. She was no more._

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**She has a mechanical body. However, she is still an adolescent child.**

**Russian Roulette: End**

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Trivial Trivia:

- Ever since Social Welfare Agency's pioneering of mechanical bodies, most of the richer nations of the world have picked up enhancement variants, or parallel organizations. The US's response to Childville and SWA is their own mechanical body unit, codenamed "The Handsome Men" after an underground comic. In the comics, there are 9 Handsome Men, thus ultimately; there will be 9 Mechanical Units. They plan to have each Handsome Man specialize in certain fields:

Handsome Red: Long Range Sniper Unit.

Handsome White Pearl: Deep Penetration Unit.

Handsome Purple: Heavy Ordinance Unit.

Handsome Dead and Handsome Pink: Covert Operations Unit.

Handsome Gold, Handsome Blue, and Handsome Light Brown: Main Attack Unit.

Handsome Black: Mechanical Advancement Unit.

- Matilda's sleeve concealed guns are based off Kugashira Bunji's technique in the Gungrave anime. Episode 20 showcases the technique best.

-Matilda's reloading technique is based off Brandon Heat's technique in the Gungrave anime, and Lara Croft's technique in the first Tomb Raider movie.


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